‘Once Upon A Time’ Recap: Peter Pan Strikes On Season Premiere

Mermaids and Lost Boys and sexual tension, oh my! Season three is already off to an epic start, thanks to tonight’s revealing — and deadly — premiere. Spoilers ahead!

The journey to save Henry (Jared Gilmore) began on the Sept. 29 season premiere of Once Upon A Time, and the motley crew of saviors quickly learned that getting to Neverland was the easy part. Surviving in Neverland? That’s a completely different story.

Let’s start with the mermaids, shall we? The Neverland seas are apparently crawling with ’em, and while they may be pretty on the outside, their insides are uglier than Rumpelstiltskin’s complexion. A combination of cannons and fireballs proved enough to chase the mermaids away, though the gang decided to keep one and try to make her talk.

Unfortunately, things just got worse from there.

The lone ‘maid summoned a powerful storm fueled by the gang’s hate for one another, and as much as I loved watching Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) punch Regina (Lana Parrilla) in the face — seriously, that was a long time coming — I’m glad Emma (Jennifer Morrison) was able to eventually convince everyone to simmer down. They’re all going to need to band together if they want to save Henry, though I’m skeptical of how long this little truce can possibly last. Something tells me they’ll be back at each other’s throats in no time.

Captain Swan’s Love Boat

I’d be a damn fool if I didn’t at least briefly mention the blatant chemistry shown between Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) and Emma this week. Still blaming herself for Neal’s ‘death’ and Henry’s capture, Ms. Swan was pretty down in the dumps — until the charming swashbuckler dropped below deck to cheer her up. Their little commissary sesh may not have resulted in a full-on hookup, but they did share a drink and some pleasant conversation. That’s a start, right?

Even if you’re not a self-proclaimed “Captain Swan” shipper, you can’t tell me you didn’t at least appreciate when Hook told Emma, “Actually, I quite fancy you from time to time when you’re not yelling at me.”

Here’s my prediction: Emma and Hook will continue to grow closer, and when they find out Neal is very much alive, she’ll be forced to make a choice. But the question is, who will she choose?

Henry’s Escape Plan Doesn’t ‘Pan’ Out

Meanwhile, on the island, Henry came face-to-face with the menacing Pan — only he didn’t know it right away. He was rescued from the Lost Boys by someone he thought was a renegade member of their crew, but he turned out to be the infamous terrorist of Neverland.

Peter revealed he was merely testing Henry to see if he indeed has “the heart of the truest believer,” and lo and behold, he does!

At least one good thing game out of all this: Before Peter Pan revealed his true identity, he tore Greg’s shadow from his body — I’m pretty sure he’s dead now — and left Tamara behind, though Rumples (Robert Carlyle) quickly tracked her down and ripped her heart out. She’s definitely dead now.

And Then There’s Neal

A very-much-alive Neal (Michael Raymond-James) finally came to in the Enchanted Forest, where he was greeted by some very familiar, though also confused, faces: Mulan (Jamie Chung), Aurora (Sarah Bolger) and Phillip (Julian Morris)!

With a little help from Mulan — who was delighted to hear there was a movie made about her, even if she has no idea what a movie is — Neal was able to track down a crystal ball in Rumples’ castle, which revealed that Emma’s location to him. He also encountered Robin Hood (now played by Sean Maguire), and the hooded gentleman didn’t do much in this episode, we’ve been promised an interesting arc for him as the season continues.

Overall, I thought this was the perfect episode to kick off the season. In fact, my only suggestion would have been for ABC to air a two-hour premiere, as next week’s installment — which I’ve seen, and is also incredible — continues to push the drama forward.

HollywoodLifers, what did you think of the OUAT season premiere? Were you shocked by the Peter Pan twist? Did you pick up on that Captain Swan tension? Drop a comment with your review of the episode and your predictions for the rest of the season!